can see nothing," he said; "stay, there are figures moving off among
the trees, and a man running round to the back of the house--very like
Gahan he is, too."

Seizing the bell-rope, he rang it loudly, and said to the servant who
answered his summons,

"Fasten the shutters and put up the bars, Connell; and then tell Gahan I
want to see him."

The man obeyed; candles were brought, and Gahan entered the room.

Mr. Hewson remarked that, though his cheeks were flushed, his lips were
very white, and his bold dark eyes were cast on the ground.

"What took you round the house just now, Tim?" asked his master, in a
careless manner.

"What took me round the house, is it? Why, then, nothing in life, sir,
but that just as I went outside the kitchen door to take a smoke, I saw
the pigs, that Shaneen forgot to put up in their stye, making right for
the mistress's flower-garden; so I just put my _dudheen_, lighted as it
was, into my pocket, and ran after them. I caught them on the grand walk
under the end window, and, indeed, ma'am, I had my own share of work
turning them back to their proper spear."

Gahan spoke with unusual volubility, but without raising his eyes from
the ground.

"Who were the people," asked his master, "whom I saw moving through the
western grove?"

"People! your honor--not a sign of any people moving there, I'll be
bound, barring the pigs."

"Then," said Mr. Hewson, smiling, to his wife, "the miracle of Circe
must have been reversed, and swine turned into men; for, undoubtedly,
the dark figures I saw were human beings."

"Come, Billy," said Gahan, anxious to turn the conversation, "will you
come home with me now? I am sure 'twas very good of the mistress to give
you all them fine apples."

Mrs. Hewson was going to propose Billy's remaining, but her husband
whispered, "Wait till to-morrow." So Gahan and his child were allowed to
depart.

Next morning the magistrates of the district were on the alert, and
several suspicious-looking men found lurking about, were taken up. A hat
which fitted one of them was picked up in Mr. Hewson's grove; the gravel
under the end window bore many signs of trampling feet; and there were
marks on the wall as if guns had rested against it. Gahan's information
touching the intended meeting at Kilerean bog proved to be totally
without foundation; and after a careful search, not a single pike or
weapon of any description could be found there. All these circumstances
co